Pond water quality

In the 2025 summer drought the level of the pond dropped significantly, and the hornwort, normally an oxygenator, decayed and absorbed oxygen. Consequently, the aquatic wildlife suffered and most of our small fish died.

Over the autumn and winter the willows and alder surrounding the pond have been cut back to let in more light and reduce the amount of detritus that might fall into the water over the year. Much of the overgrown reeds and hornwort have also been removed.

As the only source of water for the pond is the rain, the nitrate and phosphate levels should be low. Today’s test* results show a nitrate level of less than 0.2 ppm (mg/L) and a phosphate level of 0.05 ppm (mg/L). These both reflect low nutrient concentrations and hence a good ecological status; high levels would lead to eutrophication, ie algal blooms.

All being well, with the work carried out over the last few months, the water quality will continue to improve. The emergence of frog tadpoles from the spawn near the stage over the last few days is an excellent sign.

* FreshWaterWatch test kit kindly supplied by Stroud Valleys Project.

Signs of Spring

 

Willow (top), Hazel (top upper right) and alder (bottom) catkins

At last some sunnier days and the seasons’ turn. At the reserve the snowdrop and crocus blooms came early and are already over. The alder is shedding catkins, which have done their job, and at the edge near the field, yellow hazel catkins have developed into long ‘lambs’ tails’. The willow’s are a bit later, but some are already evident.

Male willow catkin (East end of Reserve)

Most willow species, including the ones at the pond (the larger trees which are most likely a variety of crack willow, the golden corkscrew willow and the smaller pollarded osiers) are dioecious, ie a tree is either male (with yellow, pollen-laden catkins) or female (with long, greenish catkins that develop cotton-like fluff containing seeds after pollination).

Lesser celandine and bright-spotted ground-bug

Along by the canal lesser celandine glints gold in the sunshine and occasionally the scent of wild garlic wafts over.

Frogspawn (and frog) near the stage

Frogspawn has just been laid at the edge of the pond near the stage and one or two newts are beginning to stir in the water and enjoy the food fest.

Golden corkscrew willow shoots (left) and
the floor of the orchard greening up (right)

The wild flowers in the orchard are also showing growth. All being well the cowslip and foxglove seed sown in autumn and the cornfield mix sown this week will soon germinate, though the best display must wait until next year.

Listen out for the louder bird song as they seek out mates and establish their territory; look out too for the early bees, hoverflies, butterflies etc.